OHM

Last Sunday my friend Cami convinced me to join her at a Sacred Yoga class. The room was heated with aroma candles and soft music. The teacher gave us massages with mint oil, (although I was told that the massages were much longer the previous week) and were incredibly soothing. So for anybody in the Boston area I would encourage you to sign up for All One Yoga's two week trial membership and head over there for some pretty amazing yoga. Tonight's Class: Pilates, Tomorrow: Pain! Oh yeah..it's also 90 degrees out today! What?

HOME MADE THE CHEAPER OPTION?

This is a great article that Apartment Therapy posted today, and it's definitely something that I had thought about before, but then realized that it didn't matter to me one way or another because A.) I enjoy making things from scratch at home, and B.) The quality will always be better. but this article sort of confirms my thoughts.

www.slate.com/id/2216611/pagenum/all

DIY

I often joke with my friends and family about being a total do-it-myselfer, but to be honest, why buy it when you can make it? Does that phrase have a copyright because if not somebody should jump on it, and by somebody I mean me. Where was I? Oh yeah, so basically I saw these cool posters of cities, that used typography to map out the geography of it's boroughs or neighborhoods. Of course the big cities were included in this set, but Philadelphia was not yet done, and as a christmas present I was hoping to get one for my sister. Since she relocated to there only a few months prior I thought it to be the perfect gift. So... I improvised and made my own, and here it is.



My inspiration is from Ork Posters, and for $18.00 a pop, they are a good deal. Here is one of Boston:

MATTE NAIL POLISH

Knock-Out brand nail polish! Offers white, red and black matte finish polishes, and I want it now!

BAKING

For our anniversary dinner tonight, I thought that I would bake some yummy goodness, but I couldn't convince myself that I should throw away all of the hard work I did last week with my detox on some over indulgent dessert. So instead I found an awesome yet healthy recipe for pumpkin walnut bread. The loaves just finished baking and they look spectacular! My photos stink, so I'm plugging in the image from the recipe site. Minus 1 for me.

Update: It tastes amazing!

I WANT...

To go to Lollapalooza this year. I'm overwhlemed by the amazingness of the line-up. Beastie Boys, Killers, Lou Reed, Depeche Mode, MSTRKRFT, Boys Noize, Cold War Kids, Of Montreal, Vampire Weekend, Crystal Castles !!!!

It's almost too much to handle, almost.

CATBALL

This may be the first in a new series of posts dedicated to the odd forms our beloved Leche takes while sleeping, which is about roughly 98% of the day.

TODAYS FORECAST: CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF RAIN

More like chance of downpours! I left the house this morning with mere drizzle, possibly a mist. However, on my way home with a load of groceries the sky opened up and the rain poured down. Down the hill, over my feet, down my back and into my groceries! By the time I got home I looked like the equivalent of a drowned cat. My next purchase: an umbrella.



This is what it looked like outside:

ANOTHER THING

I'm masochistic, and while on this detox I have spent many days looking for new recipes that I can make for when I am done. One blog i found (http://thecrepesofwrath.wordpress.com ) has some of the most appealing sweets I have ever seen.
For starters : Samoa Bars- not a cookie, a BAR? Nutella Banana Oatmeal Muffins, Pumpkin Pecan Scones, Butterfinger Blondies and last but not least, Strawberry Lemonade bars! Whoa! I encourage everyone to look at this blog, and see for yourselves the awesomeness abounding!

DETOX

I have been really slow with posts this week, and I'm going to blame it on my lack of energy stemming from my intensely restricted diet this week, but it's probably more about the fact that I haven't found or done anything worth noting this week that I feel compelled to share with the entire world wide web. My detox is something that I have been wanted to do for a really long time, but haven't had a full week to dedicate to eating right. So this week I stepped up to the plate, and after having a great and very filling weekend at my parents house I jumped on the band wagon, jogged my butt over to TJ's and began my no soy, no meat, no grains containing gluten, no processed food,no caffeine, no sugar, wholly organic diet. My first realization: I am addicted to Coffee. One day without it and I had the worst headache of my life! So after this week I'm going to be limiting myself (severely) to only one cup or less a day! Yup- that's the plan.

UPDATE: PROJECT 1.0

Last night Tony and I saw that a neighbor had thrown out a huge solid wood dresser, and left it on the sidewalk in front of our place! We agreed that using the dresser drawers as planters would be an awesome idea since our fire escape is actualy bigger than we thought! Unfortunately over the weekend some of little sprouts took a hit and a few died, but it's still early and we can re-plant those sad little buggers!



Next step: Line insides with plastic, finish drilling holes into bottom for drainage & transplant sprouts!

IT'S SPRING

And I want fresh Fruit Salad, but a cold mango would do just fine.
Thanks Claire for your awesome photo from that infamous day.

SMITTEN

These table runners would be so easy to make myself. Simple, mod, clean and fun.


From SDK photography

UPDATE: PROJECT 1.0

So here are some progress shots of Project A and B.

Shot 1 - Fabric Graveyard. This used to be our old duvet cover, and soon enough I will be wearing it. (fingers crossed)



Shot 2 - First Selection. This is going to be a smock-like summer dress. I'll throw up my sketches later!




Shot 3 - Sprouts. I'm a dummy and didn't mark the seeds as I planted so I'm trying to guess what these are. I believe that you can see (back to front) cucumbers, tomatoes, broccoli, lettuce and I don't know...

THINGS I LIKE

Facets + Crystals + Metallic = Beautiful

MY NEW OBSESSION: FOODZIE

Foodzie is a gourmet online food market. I don't need to say anything more.


And these are Yummy Dummy dark chocolate bars with marshmallow filling! Yummers

I WANT SAMOA. SAMOA WHAT? SAMOA COOKIES!

A really long time ago I told my Mom that I found a link to a recipe for home made Samoa cookies, you know the best girl scout cookie ever! Well not only has thekitchn.com found the Somoa recipe but thinmints, tagalongs and bunch of other cookie recipes to bake at home. Not that any other THOSE OTHER cookies matter. Samoa is where it's at! Here are the links:

http://bakingbites.com/2008/01/homemade-girl-scout-cookies-samoas/

http://bakingbites.com/2005/10/thin-minties/

http://bakingbites.com/2008/01/homemade-girl-scout-cookies-tagalongs/

HAPPY PASSOVER

It starts tonight and I almost forgot!

DOODLES SERVING TRAYS

These are beautiful hand painted serving trays, and I want all of them! But here are just a few photos to feast your eyes on.




from DishfulsofDoodles on etsy

Farmers Markets

I know that Boston has a few farmers markets (not as many as they should) all around the city. I wanted to compile a comprehensive list of them for myself as a reference , but I thought that I would share.

Monday
Southie: West Broadway 10:00 -6:00
Camridge, Central Square 11:30 - 6:00
City Hall Plaza 11:00 -6:00
Tuesday
Copley Square 11:00 - 6:00
Cambridge, Harvard @ Sanders Theatre 12:30 - 6:00
Jamaica Plain, Centre St Bank of America 12:00 -5:00
Roxbury/Dudley @ Blue Hill Ave 3:00 -7:00
Wednesday
Allston: N Harvard + Western Ave, 3:00-7:00
Somerville, Davis Sqaure 12:00 -6:00
City Hall Plaza 11:00 -6:00
Charlestown, Main +Austin St. 2:00-7:00
Thursday
Brigham Circle: 11:00- 6:00
Coolidge Corner: 1:30 -7:00
Roxbury/Dudley @ Blue Hill Ave 3:00 -7:00
Friday
Copley Square 11:00 - 6:00
Cambridge, Charles Hotel Courtyard 12:00-6:00
Saturday
Cambridgeport: Morse School Parking Lot 10:00-2:00
Jamaica Plain, Centre St @ Bank of America 12:00 -3:00
Sunday
South End: Harrison Ave 10:00-5:00
Cambridge, Charles Hotel Courtyard 10:00-3:00
Franklin Park (Zoo) 1:00 -4:00 (August only)

Thanks to Boston.com

YES PLEASE

This beautiful piece of rosewood furniture is a dream come true. Now if I could only fit the bill: $5,500.00 YIKES! But totally worth it.

Posting on Boston Craigslist

SOME DAY

I will be producing clothes like this:



Dress by emilyryan on esty

PROJECT FILE 1.0

Ummm, Hello Kitty Sewing Machine?

As Spring approaches I always begin to feel inspired and refreshed. I start to get creative and begin to plan out big projects, starting usually with ones that I failed to complete the year before. I always start big (ending small) but this year instead of getting ahead of myself I am starting small. This spring being the first where I am not overwhelmed by school work and job applications I really think that I can achieve all that I plan to.

Project A - A New Wardrobe.

After doing some heavy duty purging last week (of my closet) I now realize that my wardrobe is seriously lacking, but I can't bring myself to spend lots of money on a new spring/summer wardrobe. So I am going to take advantage of the super awesome sewing machine my parents purchased for me for Christmas and make myself some new dresses- because how hard can it be right?

Project 2 - A Garden.

Growing up in the country I seriously don't think that I ever really appreciated how great having a garden was! Now that I live in the city and the best produce I can get costs my left arm I am realizing just how great it would be to have one of my own! Back in March I stopped at a garden store and shed some $$ on a few packets of seeds and some starter planters and now I have sprouts for Broccoli, Tomatoes, Spinach, Lettuce, Cucumbers and Squash. Now if I can just get those sprouts to grow into bearing plants- I will be a happy girl.

I'm sure more projects will pop up and I will do my best to add to the progress on current projects as spring stumbles along. But I also want to hear what other people are doing! Spring is the most ambitious time of the year for me and I want to encourage everyone I know to just do more!

APRIL IN BOSTON

Another sometimes sunny, sometimes cloudy  and sometimes threatening to downpour at any moment kind of day. What is one to do? Start a blog of course! Since this is my first posting I thought it most pertinent for you all to experience exactly what I am talking about with a photo.